Parents of toddler burned by flash-bang grenade in drug raid want federal, state review of police

Child was sleeping in playpen where grenade landed and exploded

ATLANTA | An attorney for the family of a Georgia toddler severely burned by a flash grenade during a police raid says they want federal and state investigators to review the case.

Family attorney Mawuli Mel Davis said Monday no physical evidence has been collected at the home where the raid occurred. Earlier, Habersham County District Attorney Brian Rickman said his office is investigating whether any officials involved in a May 28 raid should face criminal charges.

Police have said officers were looking for a suspect who may have been armed and didn’t know children were inside. The device creates a bright flash and loud bang to distract suspects.

Davis says 19-month-old Bounkham Phonesavanh is scheduled for surgery Monday and remains in critical condition. The family plans a vigil at the hospital.

.•´¯`•._.•´¯`•._.•´¯`•._.•´¯`•._.•´¯`•._(•¿•)_.•´¯`•._.•´¯`•._.•´¯`•._.•´¯`•._.•´¯`•._
Florida's the only state where the farther north you go, the further South you get.

2221 points

sgljaxguy

Monday, June 2, 2014 @ 12:56 pm

They made the raid based on a drug purchase by a confidential informant who didn't even go inside the home. The transaction was conducted at the doorway. The SWAT team asked the informant if he saw any children in the home, and he said, no. Yet when the team approached the home, there was an old playpen on the front porch, and they couldn't deploy the flashbang just inside the door because there was a "Pack-n-play" sitting there, and it might catch on fire, so they tossed the device into the room, where it landed next to the baby's head. EPIC FAIL!